This invention deals with a mandrel or support on which lengths of web-like or strand material such as fabric or dry goods are wound around. The two combined elements, i.e., mandrel and material, form what are commonly referred to as “bolts” which are then shipped to the ultimate end user, e.g., fabric store, discount outlet, wholesale distributor, decorator's or designer's workroom, upholsterer's shop, clothing manufacturer, and the like and or resellers of such material. Usually, the web material is woven cloth, fabric, upholstery material and the like; however, the term “web-like” and “strand-like” to or material is used in a broad sense to include any type of merchandise that can be wound or wrapped around and supported on a mandrel for handling, transshipping and the like. These bolts are usually formed at the supplier's facility, that is, the maker, manufacturer, textile mill, printer, distributor or other processor of the material upon preformed mandrels supplied to them by off-site manufacturers of paper and cardboard products. Generally, the mandrel fabricators are suppliers of other corrugated paperboard products such as boxes, i.e., box makers. Such mandrels are normally formed of paper and cardboard stock materials. Two mandrel forms currently in use include a multi-layer wound paper semi-elliptical hollow body with cardboard end caps glued over the opposed ends thereof and a cardboard flat box-like hollow structure with end closures glued in place.
Such prior art mandrels and the manner of their use necessitates secondary set up operations such as gluing to be performed at the mandrel manufacturer's site and then the completed mandrels shipped to the material supplier in their final ready to use set up and assembled form. Shipping the mandrels in ready to use form creates increased shipping volume per unit resulting in fewer mandrels being able to be shipped in a given volume capacity of a truck or railcar. In some cases, the use of glue in assembling the mandrels also presents an added fire hazard. In addition, a permanently assembled mandrel reduces the ease in which such mandrels can be recycled or otherwise disposed when the mandrel has served its intended purpose.
It, accordingly, would be desirable to provide a mandrel and use system for such that would obviate the above noted prior art deficiencies. These and other advantages over the prior art mandrels and their present manner of use are accomplished by the present invention which provides a mandrel blank from a flat foldable material that is shipped to the material manufacturer in such flat form. The user who then assembles the blank into the usable set up mandrel form without glue by simple and uncomplicated folding procedures. This set up procedure can easily and quickly be accomplished by the manufacturer's employees that wind or wrap the web material upon the mandrel. After the mandrel has served its purpose in the transport and material use by the ultimate end user, e.g., fabric store, discount outlet, wholesale distributor, decorator's or designer's workroom, upholsterer's shop, clothing manufacturer, and the like, the mandrel can then be simply discarded or reformed back to its flat blank form for ease in recycling or shipping back to the web supplier if volumes justify such return shipment.
These advantages are brought about by the aforementioned combination of a flat blank that can be setup and locked in a usable mandrel form without tools and from the suggested use system of such mandrel and blank. Further secondary advantages are accomplished by the particular form and structure of the blank and mandrel of the present invention that enables the easy assembly thereof and provides a resultant low cost mandrel device that can be constructed from well known cut and forming techniques at the mandrel maker's facility.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.